Tuesday, January 24, 2012

First image - Miss Callie
Second image was on AOL website this morning.

Wish I could do this occasionally.

Today is tidy the yard,
pile branches to be burned later
spread straw that I picked up earlier from a neighbor on my new
Spring project of a no till garden - hopefully this will save me work.
empty trunk of car that holds bird seed, dog food and 4 bags of mulch that I picked up for $1 a bag
vacuum garage
clean garage windows
rehang bamboo shade that blew off of hooks on screen porch
have helper show me how to remove vacuum bag from new vacuum
Move a big dead log - we can roll - that once a month grass cutter - moved onto my buttercup bed
my helper is slightly handicapped and rides a bicycle
to my property
Use him 4 hours once a month
Thankful for him

Monday, January 23, 2012

The terrible storm system that was predicted for my area - missed me.
There was a lot of rain and I have limbs on the ground from the old trees everywhere
so there must have been a lot of wind - but it did not wake me up.

On my trip to local town this morning I noticed that many of the fields are full of
newly purchased cows. Stopped in the middle of the road and took a picture of this fine
cow..... Wonder in this farming community if this is more

profitable then planting in the fields.
When I lived in the old farm house I bottle fed 4 baby calves years later when cows were sold
I had a dozen or more.
I can still hear their cries as they loaded them to take to stockyard. They were all pets. Sad memory...

When I returned home and as I unloaded truck I noticed a few things

Buttercups emerging
Lilac bush bursting with buds
Plants at the edge of the woods are surfacing
Many of my herbs continued to flourish
Picture is of parsley
Rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage are all
still green.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

A blog I read about once a week
the apple yogurt cake looked so good and simple
but did not understand
the 150 g of sugar
guess I could have looked up.
Made a comment and within
an hour EliFla
responded.
It is 3/4 cup of sugar.

Said a hug was being sent to me
and think of all the trees
I was meeting on my road :)

Computer is great for One Woman
who "today" feels like she lives
in the wilderness.....

Friday, January 20, 2012

As I drive my country road for the last several weeks
More then usual as I am in the process of exploring changing
my doctor from the big city to local small town.

On my road I keep noticing the pile of newly cut logs
growing.
Row after row of newly cut huge trees.
Gives me a sense of sadness
as I drive by.

Yet, I remember, with shame
that this was something I once did.

Before selling the old farm house
as a means of additional income
I had some of my woods timbered.

The memory still so vivid of the result.
Cut tree after tree was piled in the nearby field.
When they had all been taken off
I went to the woods
and cried at what I saw.
The tops covered the floor of the woods.
Paths I once walked no longer could be seen.
I remember telling my son, before his visit
that it looked like a war zone.

Soon after the timbering
he made a visit and
he walked with me.
I remember his sad voice as he spoke to me
his reply was "please never do this again."

Now this looks sufficient to me. Scale has not budged off of 108 lbs in several years. I do not want to lose anymore. Over the last few years I have lost
5 lbs and cannot seem to gain them back. In my younger years I always gained 4 or 5 lbs during Christmas holidays - not anymore. Might add that my son who teaches Yoga in Thailand, tells me that most of his female students are small like his mom and he thinks my weight is fine for 5 ft 2...

Youngest daughter reminds me that my portions seem small to her :)

All of this plus a handful of supplemental vitamins and a blood pressure pill

I want to stay healthy through these "old" years.

I miss so much walking and working outside, the cold weather bothers me to much to walk outside and after all I do inside do not feel like driving to local town to walk on indoor track - Spring I can hardly wait for you to return.

Oh, 3 or 4 nights a week when I wake up at midnight I will have a cup of hot chocolate or yogurt :)

Now soup would have been complete if I had made my 1/2 pan of cornbread - finally mastered half

my recipe that is real good...it took a while - using my mother's small iron skillet.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 - 2 inch deep pan ( I use one slightly larger)
Sift together flour, sugar, soda and cinnamon. Place in small saucepan margarine, water
cocoa and bring to boil, pour into flour mixture and mix well. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 - 30 minutes (until springs back when touched - cake will be soft)
Spread with warm icing.

Icing - while cake is baking - place margarine or butter, cocoa, and milk in small saucepan, mix and bring to boil. Remove from heat and add sugar, vanilla, nuts. If too thick, add some more milk. Spread on warm sheet cake.

From "The Nashville Cookbook" Specialties of Cumberland Region - my copy I wrote inside when I bought in 1976. At that time I lived at the Old Farm House with my youngest daughter "Jamie" and my only son. Oh - time - where have you gone....

I have made this cake more times then I can remember. Always a favorite and never fails to receive
compliments.

Hint - I rarely keep buttermilk on hand - I put vinegar in the milk and let it sit 5 minutes.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Cauliflower soup was made. She is always changing recipes. Instead of using Kale she used the remainder of her Collard Greens, Instead of Tarragon which she did not have she used her Rosemary and Thyme.
No addition of white wine - none on hand. This time she put ingredients in the blender. Kind of bland even with garlic and onions and she put in some Tabasco. Made it just right.

Then the chocolate sheet cake was made. Planned on making next week and freezing half. Like to keep something on hand in case some one comes by. Usually she eats the whole thing herself. Oh this is the best recipe she has been making for 40 years, a family favorite and so easy.

The project of sorting recipes, putting them in plastic sheets and in a binder - has begun. A must as some favorites are beginning to be so stained and worn they are hard to read.
For many years the thought of making a cookbook for children.
There are just too many recipes and the binders will be available whenever they visit.

The snow started after lunch and the pickup windshield was so icy she could hardly see to drive to
the road for mail.

Her mother wore a big rain bonnet when it rained and she vowed she would never wear one of those things.
One of the items she picked up at her mother's home after her death was her rain bonnet. The rain bonnet is something she wears at times like this.
At a younger age she would never have put this on - now it makes her smile....

Enough news from One Woman who lives in a cottage at the edge of the woods.

Oh, I think I am going to experiment with a no till garden this year. My garden is so small but supplies all she need and then some. Sure would be nice not to hoe weeds....

Thursday, January 12, 2012

I miss the wood burning fire place and wood stove that was part of many past years. I kept a fire going on cool Fall evenings, through the Winter and into rainy days of Spring. The basket near by was always full of wood and on the side porch a little red wagon was handy with more wood. In the evening I would pull my chair up as close as I could get and just sit. Sit looking at the flames, soaking in the warmth of the fire with not a thought on my mind.
Nothing can compare to a wood fire burning in a fire place.

Sitting still is something I find very difficult to do. Why? You would think by now it would be easier for me in these last years. Why the constant doing? But then I like an orderly and neat home and on a nice day I am outside looking to see if anything is peeking through the earth, picking up limbs that continually fall from the old trees and searching for a new camera challenge. An early riser and I am not doing well with not turning on computer first thing in the morning. Seems that is when an inspiration for writing occurs and also I am excited to see if there is an email from one of my children or grandchildren.

On being still, I am so very slightly better because of my practice of mindfulness but I am far from my goal. So many books are piled by my old leather chair and every morning I tell myself I will read later in the day. With busyness the day is soon over and I am too weary to read.
Now if we ever have some days where I am literally snowed in - I will read all day....

There are gas logs in this cottage and I rarely turn them on. If we have some snow then I might as it gives a little atmosphere.

I miss the special smell of wood burning and guess that is one reason I like burning incense. What is burning at the moment
is Cedar and there is a slight woodsy smell in this room.

I think of my son in a far away land as this incense burns. Memories of walking into his small home
and the scent of incense gave me the idea of beginning this practice.

This is a new burner
last year used an old blue flower pot.
I think I like it better
will retrieve from the outside gardening table
Need some sand for the flower pot and on next trip to local town I will purchase a small bag.

An hour later - have been trying to remember the woodsy scent "mens product" that I could not
get enough of many years ago. "Aremis" just came to mind. I loved the soap for myself in the winter
time.
Use to buy these
products for the father of my children. I think I am going to look it up as it seems to go with this
cottage in the woods. Think many of the memories have totally died other then the wonderful
woodsy scent.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Since it was a busy day yesterday
with a new doctor to visit and blood work,
not feeling the best today
I just made this.....

Over time I have experimented with different greens
and since I bought Collard Greens yesterday
this is what I will use.

Onion cooked in olive oil until translucent
in same pan I add some chopped carrot,
celery and garlic.
Cook about 3 to 5 minutes
put in large pan
Add to 2 cans of white beans that you rinse many times.
sometimes I will mash 1/2 of the beans.
Add chicken or vegetable broth.
Simmer 10 or 15 minutes
Now add a bunch of chopped collard greens
that you have washed, removed tough stem and chopped.
Cook until wilted and how done you want them.
I usually go about 15 minutes.
Add some Rosemary and Thyme (still in my winter garden)
and a splash of Balsamic Vinegar.
In my freezer I have some chopped ham and polish sausage
could add a handful of either of these
may not
or sprinkle some chopped bacon and

Romano cheese on top (this is what I have on hand)

30 minutes later
I want to share
Just had a bowl of this soup
it is delicious..
Also I halfed the recipe for me
using 1 can of beans
and half the bunch of collard greens.
Lunch today and will have this evening
and lunch tomorrow.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

This post was written 3 years ago today. My older grandchildren have not seen this - so this is for them.

Beatrice (changed to Bertie) Ellington Hartgrove. - 12/17/1896 - 11/28/1987 Grandma, that is what I always called her. She was my maternal grandmother. I can remember spending time with her during my young years the summers I would come to Tennessee. I enjoyed visiting her home in the country. She loved flowers and I guess the first gardener in the family that left a desire within me to one day have a garden. I can remember the many different varieties in her yard and how she would take the heel of her shoe and dig out a weed she spotted. She had a small garden house that was filled with African Violets. I would say that is where a part of my deep passion for nature and flowers comes from. Especially since I was raised in an apartment building with hardly a blade of grass in sight. Memories of the fresh milk from the cow that my grandfather milked. The cream would rise to the top and she would make a plate of fresh butter. I had never seen this done before or since that time. The best butter I have ever tasted. I remember that!

The only grandfather I ever knew I learned later in life was not my real grandfather. His name was John Crowe, he lived a military life which included World Wars 1 and 11 and months in France. His retirement years were spent with my grandmother on the farm I visited while growing up. I remember the deep affection they had for each other. The strong love was so apparent. My grandmother married young and had two daughters, my mother and my Aunt Bea. The marriage did not last for many reasons and that is another story at another time. When she married again it was to this grandfather. They had two daughters, my Aunt Betty and Johnnie.
As I go through this family history file on this early morning there is so much I do not know. So many names of people that are a part of my biological makeup or DNA, whichever is the correct way to describe it. My real grandfather's name was Robert Carmichael who lived in Lexington, Kentucky. 10/12/1892 - 10/13/1976. He remarried and had a daughter and 3 sons. Relatives I never knew existed. At times in the past I would wonder about them. When this was shared with me I had thoughts of driving to Lexington. Just a thought that soon left my mind. Here I had a grandfather and aunts and uncles I never knew. A cousin of mine who has done extensive genealogy searching, sent me some of his discoveries. Interesting that it goes back to the Revolutionary War.
So much of this information about my mother's real father has only become available to me since my grandmother's death. All of this was a subject that was never discussed while she was living. Wonder what other secrets are in the family?
So maybe some of my memories, information and the file that this One Woman keeps will be interesting to one of my grandchildren. Anyway, I feel that I should document all I can. Guess I have been assigned the keeper of memories for my family. Some information shared from One Woman on her Journey Through This Life

6:50 AM - jUST RECEIVED EMAIL THAT MY SON ARRIVED SAFELY IN THAILAND

SO MOM CAN CONTINUE MORE LIGHT HEARTED THROUGH THIS DAY. ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE MY SPECIAL 3 YEAR OLD WITH ME TODAY. WRITING WITH A THANKFUL HEART!!!!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

A year ago I wrote about the January sun making beautiful early morning shadows on the walls of this cottage.
Posted some pictures.
It has started again.
January and the sun shining in the windows
making shadows - they are beautiful
As of yet no winter
In fact - a week of 50's predicted.
I can see Spring on the horizon

"The mocking bird
opens his throat
among the thorns
for his own reason...

Your clocks, he says plainly
which are always ticking
do not have to be listened to"

Monday, January 2, 2012

With my decision of moving to the country, not being in the city close to health facilities and a distance from
my children
I started checking to see if there were services available in this rural area that I was not familiar or
aware of.
I found Cumberland Transit.
Transportation for people in rural areas. It covers a number of rural counties in Tennessee and my
county is one of them.
You call several days prior to when you need them, schedule your time and they pick you up at your home and take
you to your destination. Also when you are ready to return home you call them and within an
hour they pick you up and take you home.
Now, I heard some say "if you need me let me know" but I do not respond to this. Independent and when someone is sincere you do not have to ask. But then following my heart is what I try to do.
Last week was an appointment with an oral surgeon that I was not comfortable with. So many unsettling experiences have been shared with me about the pulling of a wisdom tooth
and I wish I had not listened.
It was also a rainy and cold day and a good time to check this transportation source out.
I was picked up at 8:30 in the morning in a van with the nicest driver. Onward we went to the big
city, the procedure was no problem, and the pickup call was made when I was ready to leave oral surgeons office.
My youngest daughter (Jamie, thank you) was with me and we sat in the nearby Yogurt shop waiting for the driver.
It took about an hour but I did not mind as I am a people watcher and this gave me time to sit
still - which I have difficulty doing.
A small bus arrived this time. I was told he had to pick up someone in a small town neighboring mine and take her to my nearby small town.
I enjoyed the tour of country roads that I was not familiar with with and found it a peaceful ride as we traveled to pick up another customer.
Did take over an hour for me to arrive home but that was fine.

So now if there is a time I am not comfortable driving to the big city, I have another option. Bottom line I will be using this service again. I could even go one way and one of my children bring me home
in case of something special.

This service for all ages, they operate week days between 8:30 and 6:00. Have special pickups available earlier for hospital visits.

Being very independent I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this special service.

Only inconvenience might be if there were several pickups but with none on my going and only one returning I found it great.

About Me

This Journal is being written for my pleasure, my children and my grandchildren. Sharing some of my past, present and thoughts for future. It is the Journal of a sensitive soul who has entered her 8th decade. My life journey has taken me down a lot of roads with many twists and turns. It's not the journey that I would have visualized at the age of 25 when a third child was on the horizon. I love the warmth of the sun, sound of rain, a crackling fire, simplicity and elegance. Find pleasure in sitting on my porch with tea in a china cup and digging in the earth. I am more myself at this time of life than ever before. A considerable part of my past was in the business world, multi tasking and being super organized. Today I am trying to simplify and be more mindful. Also learning about this journey through aging and Sjogren's Syndrome.
It is not as easy as I thought, even though I have a lot of solitude at this time of life. My days fly by and I do not think I have enough time left on earth to do and experience all that is the desire of my heart.
One thing I am sure of is that I could not make it on this journey without my daily prayer and meditating time.